Dwarf Hairgrass

Dwarf hairgrass is a sedge that turns the aquarium foreground into a real lawn with its thin, needle-like leaves and underground runners. It occurs naturally on the shallow shores of lakes and ponds in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, so it adapts to a wide temperature range.

Its appearance changes with light: in an aquarium with strong light and CO₂ it forms a dense, even lawn 5–10 cm tall; under medium light the leaves grow up to 15 cm and stay sparser. It is often confused with plants sold as Eleocharis parvula; their care is the same. The shorter 'Mini' form is also sold as a separate plant.

• Divide the clump from the nursery pot into small, rooted bunches of 5–10 leaves.
• Plant the bunches with tweezers 2–3 cm apart and 1–2 cm deep; dense planting helps the carpet close faster.
• If the leaf tips are trimmed to 3–4 cm before planting, the plant puts its energy into rooting and new runners.

• Light: Medium; strong light is needed for a short, dense lawn.
• CO₂: Not required, but clearly beneficial; it increases the spreading rate.
• Fertilizer: Root tabs and liquid fertilizer; a nutrient-rich substrate speeds up spreading.
• Trimming: Trim to the desired height with long scissors, like mowing a lawn. Regular trimming encourages new shoots.

It spreads on its own by underground runners; a new clump forms at the end of each runner. Clumps are propagated by separating them with their roots and planting them elsewhere.

• Slow spreading: insufficient light, CO₂ or nutrients. Patience is needed; the first month is usually slow.
• Browning leaf tips: normal on aging leaves; once trimmed, new ones replace them.
• Algae and debris between the leaves: a dense lawn traps particles; siphon it gently during water changes.
• Thick, old layer rotting: a carpet that becomes too dense is pulled up and renewed in sections from time to time.